Tokyo｜Zojoji Temple, one of Tokugawa Ieyasu's mausoleums, with Tokyo Tower

This temple in the heart of Tokyo has witnessed the prosperity and decline of modern times, becoming a place of faith and a source of comfort for those most desperate. It is Zojoji Temple.

Originally founded by a disciple of Kukai, it was called Komyoji Temple. Later, during the Meitoku era, the Pure Land School took over, and the temple was renamed Zojoji Temple under the leadership of the eighth patriarch, Shōsō Shonin.

Due to the trust of Tokugawa Ieyasu, it was designated as one of the Tokugawa family mausoleums and revered as the foremost of the Eighteen Danrin (temples) in Kanto, solidifying Zojoji Temple's status. Relocated to its current location during the expansion of Edo Castle, Ieyasu donated the main hall and the Three Liberation Gates. With a landholding of one million koku (approximately 1,000 koku) to the shogunate, it was arguably the most influential religious center in Kanto at the time.

With the Meiji era's decree separating Shinto from Buddhism, which effectively excluded Buddhism, Zojoji Temple faced an unprecedented crisis. Its territory was divided, its main hall was burned, and it was forced to separate the Takeyasu Kokuden, dedicated to Ieyasu, into Shiba Toshogu Shrine. A large area of ​​its land became Shiba Park. During the war, the area was razed to the ground, and reconstruction didn't begin until the Showa era, resulting in its current appearance.

At Zojoji Temple, it's easy to snap a photo with Tokyo Tower. It's also a popular temple for broadcasting the bell-ringing ceremony after the New Year's Red and White Festival in Japan. To the right of the temple, there's a row of adorable baby Jizo statues—Chibako Jizo. These stone statues embody the parents' hope for their children's healthy growth, and parents often dress them in clothes, hats, and even place pinwheels.

Also worth noting is the Tokugawa Family Mausoleum, the final resting place of six shoguns and a reminder of Edo history.

📍Address: 4 Chome-7-35 Shibakoen, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan
🚗A seven-minute walk from Daimon Station.
#9月好去地方2025

Post by 旅行中的野馬 | Sep 21, 2025